1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a flexible tube manufacturing apparatus adapted for continuously producing an indefinite length of flexible wire-reinforced ducting, and more particularly to an automatic cutter to selectively cut the tubing along its length while being continuously formed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art that various problems and difficulties are encountered in providing suitable means for cutting flexible tubing, or ducting, particularly the type that is formed by a continuous ribbon or tape material of indefinite length and a flexible spiral spring-like wire which are both bonded together to form the tubing.
The strips of flexible material and spring are continuously wrapped around the rollers of the machine and are bonded together as they advance axially along the rollers, whereby a flexible ducting is produced in a continual manner.
As examples of these machines one may consider U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,327 issued to Wayne K. Fairchild, the inventor of the present device, or U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,272 issued to L. H. Tiner.
Until the present, ducts of this type have been made in lengths of between twenty to forty feet, or more. In order to mark off and cut these lengths of tubing, a machine must be stopped each time. For example, if a multiplicity of ducts are to be produced having lengths of five feet, the machine must be stopped to allow the ducting to be measured at five-foot intervals and individually cut. Thus, the machine must be shut down and each given length must be cut, after which the machine is restarted.
Often, additional problems occur when the machine is restarted, such as when strip and wire become out of phase, etc.